Fastener

ABSTRACT

A fastener or adapter for attaching a molding member or the like to a panel surface having a headed button upstanding therefrom, comprising a panel engaging body having means for retaining the molding member tensioned against the panel and an inclined ramp tensioned against the underside of the button head, with a slot in the ramp accommodating the button shank and having a seat portion spaced laterally from the slot axis to prevent dislodgment of the fastener from the button once the molding is assembled on the fastener. An arcuately shaped edge on the slot serves to cam the button into the slot seat as the fastener is slid onto the button.

United States Patent Meyer 0 [451 June 20, 1972 [54] FASTENER [72]Inventor: Engelbert A. Meyer, Union Lake, Mich.

[731 Assignee: USM Corporation, Warren Division,

Mount Clemens, Mich.

221 Filed: May 6, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 35,056

[52] US; Cl "24/73 1,395,870 11/1921 Pixley ..5/299 1,617,865 2/1927Richardson ..5/299 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay AssistantExaminer-Garry Moore Attorney-Burton and Parker [57] ABSTRACT A fasteneror adapter for attaching a molding member or the like to a panel surfacehaving a headed button upstanding therefrom, comprising a panel engagingbody having means for retaining the molding member tensioned against thepanel and an inclined ramp tensioned against the underside of the buttonhead,with a slot in the ramp accommodating the button shank and having aseat portion spaced laterally from the slot axis to prevent dislodgmentof the fastener from the button once the molding is assembled on thefastener. An arcuately shaped edge on the slot serves to cam the buttoninto the slot seat as the fastener is slid onto the button.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures P'A'TE'N'TEDJum m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG. 3

ATTORNEYS FASTENER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesgenerally to a fastener for Connecting two structural parts, and moreparticularly to a clip adapter for attaching a strip of molding to apanel surface, with the adapter being retained by a headed buttonaffixed to the panel. The button may be of the general type disclosed inmy prior US. Pat. No. 3,373,539, having a shank whose end is welded oradhesively fixed to the panel, and a head spaced from the panel andhaving a diameter at least twice the diameter of the shank. The fastenerhas a slot therein to receive the button shank, the fastener surfaceadjacent the slotbearing against the underside of the button head totension the fastener against the panel. The molding is engaged under atab portion of the fastener which biases the molding edge against thepanel surface.

The fastener herein disclosed is specifically adapted to retain the trimmolding extending around the periphery of an automobile windshield orbacklight, wherein the glass is set within a rubber gasket engaging themarginal edge of the glass, with the molding having opposite edgeportions bearing against the gasket and the adjacent panel surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The prior art is well exemplified by myprior US. Pat. No. 3,373,539, which discloses a clip or fastener similarto'that herein disclosed and adapted to be used in substantially thesame environment. Such patent shows a clip having a U- shaped body withan inclined ramp disposed within the U with a button receiving slot inthe ramp. The button is retained within the slot by a projecting tanghaving an edge facing the button when assembled on the clip to preventits withdrawal. To assemble the clip and button the walls of the rampmust deform to allow the button to enter the slot seat past theprojecting tang.

In conjunction with the safety standards beingput into effect by theautomobile manufacturers, some autos are presently being built with whatmay be called pop-out" Windshields, where the glass will be dislodgedfrom its position upon being struck with a predetermined force from theinside of the vehicle. Such Windshields are seated within a peripheralgasket of molded rubber, rather than an adhesive such as thepolysulfides previously widely used. A trim molding surrounds the glassof the windshield and is retained in position by a series of buttons andadapters or clips, the buttons being fixed to the panel adjacent thewindshield opening and the adapters being mounted on the buttons andretainably engaging the marginal edges of the molding.

'Tests made on the above-described pop-out Windshields have shown that aforce against the windshield glass sufficient to cause it to pop outwill also cause dislodgement of the clips. The clip or adapter shownherein is specifically designed to obviate that eventually and also toprovide a simple, inexpensive structure which is more easily assembledwith the buttons presently in use to provide a foolproof moldingretainer assembly.

SUMMARY An adapter for-attaching a molding member to a panel having aheaded button upstanding from the panel surface including a generallyU-shaped body having panel engaging leg portions and a bight portiondefining a tab for locking engagement with a marginal edge of saidmolding and an inclined ramp disposed within the U-shape and resilientlyconnected to the body and having a distal end biased against theunderside of the button head, said ramp having a longitudinal slotopening through one edge thereof for receiving the button shank andterminating adjacent the ramp distal end in a button seatspacedlaterally from the slot axis to prevent accidental dislodgment of theadapter from the button once the two are assembled. The slot is providedwithan arcuately shaped wall portion adjacent the button seat to cam thebutton into engagement with the seat during assembly.

The instant invention is designed to obviate the problem of dislodgmentof molding adapters from the buttons with which they are engaged, asfrequently occurs with prior art adapters when subjected to impactforces. In addition. the invention is concerned with providing a simple,inexpensive fastener or adapter whichmay be more easily and convenientlyassembled with the buttons than is possible with prior art structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of an adapterembodying the invention, with the securing button and a portion of thepanel being shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the adapter taken in the direction of the arrow2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the adapter; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through an automobile panel adjacentthe windshield opening showing the windshield and its gasket and thefastener assembly for retaining the trim molding in place.

Shown in the drawings is a fastener or adapter generally indicated at 20for securing a strip of molding or the like 22 to a panel 24. A headedbutton 26 is secured to the panel 24 as by welding the end of its shank28 to the panel surface, thereby positioning the button head 30 inpredetermined spaced, substantially parallel relation to the adjacentsurface of the panel. In FIG. 4 the illustrated panel 24 is that part ofan automobile body, and includes an upstanding flange called a pinchweld32 forming the lower edge of a windshield opening, the windshield glass34 being positioned within the opening and having a preformed moldedrubber gasket 36 embracing its peripheral edge.

The trim strip 22 has a reversely turned lower marginal edge 38lockingly engaged with a portion of the adapter 20 and upper marginalbead 40 bearing against the rubber molding 36. Upon assembly of thestrip 22, it is resiliently deformed slightly so that the engagement ofthe bead 40 against the rubber 36 tensions the strip against the panelin the area indicated at 42 in FIG. 4. This in turn exerts an outward(i.e. away from pinchweld 32) force on adapter 20 by its engagement withportion 38 of the molding 22. I

The adapter 20 comprises in general a U-shaped body 44 having a pair ofspaced parallel legs 46 and 48 interconnected by a bight 50, and aninclined ramp 52 resiliently connected to ends of the legs at 54 and 56.The inner end of the body 44, i.e. that end that lies adjacent theflange or pinchweld 32, is preferably formed into an upturned flange 58which serves to give the body rigidity and also presents a smoothlyrounded edge 60 abutting the panel surface to obviate scratching of thepanel and provide easy sliding movement of the adapter dur ing assembly.

The legs 46 and 48 of the body 44 are identical, and each has a panelengaging portion 62 adjacent its inner end and an outer end 64 spacedfrom the panel by an intermediate offset 66. The bridge or bight portion50 of the body extends generally upwardly and away from the legs and isprovided at its midportion with a depending tab 68 which is struck fromthe plane of the body and forms a projection for locking engagement withthe end 38 of the molding strip 22.

The ramp 52 of the adapter 20 has an inclined portion 70 extending awayfrom the panel surface 24 and a distal end portion 72 which lies inspaced, generally parallel relation to the panel. A slot 74 is cut intothe ramp 52 and includes an enlarged aperture 75 opening through thebody flange 58 to accommodate the headed button 26. The slot 74 may bedisposed with its axis at a slight angle from the axis of the adapter,as shown in FIG. 1, and is sized to receive the shank 28 of button 26. Abutton seat 76 is provided at the closed end 78 of the slot, which seatis spaced laterally from the slot 74 and is provided with a rearwardlyprojecting tang or tip 80 at the entrance to the seat. Between the slot74 and the seat 76 the opening has an arcuately marginal edge 82 todirect-the button 26 into the seat 76 upon assembly of the adapter onthe button.

Once the button 26 has been fixed in predetermined position on the panel24 as by welding, the adapter 20 is assembled with the button by beingslid along the panel surface from right to left as shown in FIGS. 1 and4. This may be accomplished by hand, or a suitable tool may be used. Asthe button shank 28 enters the slot 74, it will abut against slot wall82, and continued force on the clip will cause relative lateral movementthereof until the button shank abuts the end wall of the seat 76. Theadapter is shown in its free position in FIG. 3, and the upper surfaceof distal end 72 of ramp 52 lies spaced from the underside of the panelengaging leg portion 62 a distance greater than the distance from thepanel surface 24 to the underside of button head 30. Therefore uponassembly of the adapter 20 onto the button 26, the adapter is tensionedagainst the panel by the resilient spring-like action of the ram 52,urging the panel engaging portions 62 of the body legs 46 and 48 againstthe panel surface.

When the windshield 34 with its rubber molding 36 is positioned in placeas shown in FIG. 4, the molding member or strip 22 is secured in placeby sliding the lower end thereof under the adapter 20 until the edge 38locks behind the depending tab 68 of the adapter. The upper bead 40 onthe molding member 22 is tensioned against the rubber 36, and the member22, by virtue of its contact with the panel 24 at 42, exerts an upwardand outward force against adapter 20, thereby urging the edge 84 (F IGS,l and 4) of the slot seat into abutment against shank 28 of the button26.

Because the adapter 20 is tensioned as above described away from thepinchweld 32, in order to dislodge the adapter from the button 26, theadapter must first be shifted inwardly toward pinchweld 32 to allowbutton shank 28 to clear tang 80, and then laterally until the button isaligned with slot 74. Hence a force tending to push windshield 34 out ofits frame,

i.e. from left to right as viewed in FIG. 4, will not cause dislodgmentof the adapter from the button. Yet there is no interference between theadapter slot and the button shank, and assembly and disassembly can beeasily effected between them, assuming of course that the molding member22 is not engaged with the adapter 20. While only a single fastenerassembly of adapter 20 and button 26 has been shown and described, aplurality are provided spaced along the panel to retain the moldingmember 22.

What is claimed is:

1. An adapter for securing a molding member to a support having a headedstud upstanding from the support surface, comprising a body defining apair of spaced apart support engaging legs interconnected by a bridgeportion having means for retaining said member, and an inclined rampdisposed generally between said legs and resiliently connected to saidbody at its proximal end with its distal end lying spaced from saidsupport surface, a slot opening through the proximal end of said rampsized to accommodate the stud shank and terminating in a stud seatportion adjacent the ramp distal end having a lateral dimension greaterthan the stud shank diameter, the midpoint of the seat lying spacedlaterally from the axis of said entrance portion a distance greater thanthe stud shank diameter, with said slot having an intermediate portiondefining an arcuate wall for camming engagement with said stud to camthe stud into said seat portion upon assembly of the adapter on thestud.

2. An adapter as defined in claim 7 characterized in that said slotincludes a projecting tang positioned at the entrance to said seatportion on the side thereof opposite said arcuate wall.

* i I t i ag? mum STATES PATENT @FFECE 'QER'HHQAT E QRREQHQN Patent: No3,67%368 Dated June 20, 1972 Inventofls) Engelbert Ac Meygr It iscertified that; extra: appears in the above idencified patent and thatsaid Letlners Pment am hereby untreated as shown below:

In column 4 li n'e 29, change the nu mera l "7" 'to --l--c Signed andwmla tfiig lgthludagy of Septamber 1 9729 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD momommm v ROWE? GOTTSCHALK 1 Cnmmissinner of Patents AttestingQfficer

1. An adapter for securing a molding member to a support having a headedstud upstanding from the support surface, comprising a body defining apair of spaced apart support engaging legs interconnected by a bridgeportion having means for retaining said member, and an inclined rampdisposed generally betweeN said legs and resiliently connected to saidbody at its proximal end with its distal end lying spaced from saidsupport surface, a slot opening through the proximal end of said rampsized to accommodate the stud shank and terminating in a stud seatportion adjacent the ramp distal end having a lateral dimension greaterthan the stud shank diameter, the midpoint of the seat lying spacedlaterally from the axis of said entrance portion a distance greater thanthe stud shank diameter, with said slot having an intermediate portiondefining an arcuate wall for camming engagement with said stud to camthe stud into said seat portion upon assembly of the adapter on thestud.
 2. An adapter as defined in claim 7 characterized in that saidslot includes a projecting tang positioned at the entrance to said seatportion on the side thereof opposite said arcuate wall.